Vermont Woman Accused Of Driving Drunk With Children In Car

27-year-old Denise Roberts is in hot water today after being accused of driving drunk with her six children in the vehicle. What was even more frightening was that later the vehicle was later found overturned in another area where from where it was first spotted. The 27-year-old woman was driving home from Lunenburg on Wednesday, from Montpelier.

Officials were shocked to discover that three of those children were under the age of 10. Thankfully, the woman was able to get all of the children home before anything terrible happened. Upon arriving at the family home, she assaulted a family member and then left AGAIN in an intoxicated state and drove her vehicle. This was the incident where she overturned the car. She was treated at the hospital, then booked into county jail, where she received a bail of $1,000.

There are three charges facing Roberts: DUI, domestic assault, and cruelty to a child. These three charges alone could mean that Roberts is facing felony charges after her wild ride. Breathalyzer results and field sobriety test results are unknown right now as of the time of this writing. They are certain to be publicized in further as more details about the arrest are made public.

Vermont is a state that firmly believes in punishing offenders who commit DUI offenses. Just to give you a preview of what Richards could be facing, look at the following penalties for DUI in Vermont:

First Offense

Up to two years in jail

Fines up to $750

90 days license suspension

Second Offense

Up to two years

Fines up to $1500

18 months license suspension

Third Offense

Up to 5 years maximum

Fines up to $2500

Possible lifetime license suspension

As this brief chart about Vermont DUI penalties demonstrates, Denise Roberts is facing an uphill battle when just looking at her first charge: The DUI charge. Publications like DUIwise.com exist to help people like Roberts know where to turn when they are charged with a DUI. As of now, it’s not even known if Roberts was given a breathalyzer or field sobriety test. These two tests can make it more “solid” when you bring a case against someone for a DUI. Without any tests, a good defense lawyer might be able to argue that another culprit caused Roberts’s behavior. For example, many people with diabetes will sometimes behave as if they’re intoxicated even if they haven’t consumed any alcoholic beverages. Because of the symptoms of diabetes, it sometimes mimics intoxication.

This isn’t to say that Roberts was suffering from another condition such as diabetes, though. For now, it looks like she is facing a clear case of DUI. The other two charges complicate matters. It’s because of these two charges that sites like DUIwise would recommend quickly locating a DUI lawyer to take on the case is relieve some of the burden on Roberts. Far too many people think that DUI cases are open and shut cases, and even though they certainly can be if the defendant lets them, there’s good reason to hire a lawyer in Vermont if you’re charged with a DUI and multiple other charges.

Roberts’s main problem is that she could be facing a charge of aggravated DUI. This type of DUI is insinuated when there are aggravating circumstances behind the arrest. For example, Roberts had six children in the car while she was driving drunk. It’s possible that this could be an aggravating factor in the case, leading to the more serious charge of aggravated DUI. The penalties for this type of DUI are understandably higher than in cases where no children are involved. Other examples of aggravated DUI are an extremely high BAC level at the time of arrest and also having had multiple prior DUI offenses.

DUIwise has been helping defendants of DUI cases for years find the right lawyer and understand that they have rights just like any other defendant accused of a crime. Even if you are guilty of a DUI in Vermont, a good lawyer can help you navigate the consequences of the case and get a better outcome for yourself. Many people who develop a problem with alcoholism get DUIs along the way, and it’s up to the courts to handle these cases in a manner that encourages rehabilitation and not just punishment. After all, if a defendant manages to somehow escape the DUI incident without causing bodily harm to someone else, the best protection for the state against another incident is to get someone help if they have a substance abuse problem rather than just punishing them with jail and hoping punishment works. Sadly, often prison time doesn’t prevent another DUI.

Other programs, like AA meetings and residential recovery centers, have had better success in helping addicts and alcoholics escape their circumstances and go on to lead more productive lives free of DUI and other criminal charges. Everyone, in this case, hopes that Roberts gets the retribution she deserves if she is guilty but they also hope that she will be able to turn her life around for the sake of her beautiful children. Everyone’s life takes different paths and it seems that for now, Roberts’s life has gone down the right path.

Vermont legal representation will be available to Roberts as she faces her charges. Once again, she’s not just facing DUI charges but also domestic assault and cruelty to a child. With the right outcome in her criminal case, hopefully, Denise Roberts will use her punishment in a way that allows her to get the help she needs. And remember that a DUI defendant is innocent until proven guilty. For now, it’s up to the state to show that Roberts committed a DUI offense and became a danger to herself and her own children. Only time will tell how this case works out.